Entomology Orders / Families

Bug Stuff

Protura

“non true insects” ; they lack eyes, wings, and antenna; they also have inside mouth bits (Endognatha)

Collembolla

A large group of tiny insects; they reside at the bottom of the food chain and are often referred to as “springtails”; they also have inside mouth parts (Endognatha)

Diplura

these insects have 2 cerci, antenna, are detritivores; they also have inside mouth bits (Endognatha)

Microcoryphia

these insects have two paired cerci, caudal filament, touching compound eyes, as well as no wings; Known as jumping bristle tails

Thysanura

this group is the silverfish; they have hard plates which result in them being scaly

Ephemeroptera

this group is mayflies, dayflies, shadflies, or even fishflies; these insects have no feeding mouth parts as adults (aquatic larva) and metamorphosize only to breed and die

Odonata

this group includes dragonflies and damselflies; all these insects are predators & are ancient as hell

Orthoptera

this group refers to insects with parrallel wings; grasshoppers, locusts, crickets

Phasmatodea

this group includes stick bugs; some of the largest insects in the world are in this category

Grylloblattodea

this group of insects was only discovered in the beginning of the 20th century; includes what are known as rock crawlers, they live in cold places (such as glaciers) and are scavengers / predators

Mantophasmatodea

only descripted in the early 1900’s and are the most recent order added to Class Insecta; these insects are African carnivores (small distribution) resembling mantises and stick bugs

Deraptera

this group of insects includes purely the earwigs

Plecoptera

this order of insects are known purely known as the stoneflies; aquatic larva, gill tufts as larva, terrestrial adults

Embiidiana

this order of insect is subtropical, females spin silk and care for young, while males have wings

Zoraptera

this species has characteristics including: two-segmented tarsi, nine-segmented antennae, chewing mouthparts, enlarged hind femora with spines, and reduced wings that are shed; they are common and small (aphids)

Isoptera

this order of insects are derived from cockroaches and their name means equal winged ones; they are social insects (termites)

Mantodea

this order of insects is made purely of mantises; all or these insects have raptorial claws

Blattodea

this order of insects is made purely of cockroaches

Hemiptera

this order of insects is known as the half winged ones (with leather bases and membranous tips); these insects have beaks to suck blood, however most suck sap (aphids and cicadas are in this group)

Thysanoptera

this order of insects includes purely thrips; they have tiny wings, and rasping - sucking mouth parts

Psocoptera

this order of insects is known as booklice, barklice, and barkflies; these insects also have incomplete metamorphosis

Phthiraptera

this order of insects is made out of combined lice; these are sucking lice or have sucking body parts (chewing lice)

Coleoptera

this order of insects are beetles; they have hard outer layers to protect membranous wings (hard winged ones / elytra) , these insects are very abundant (included click beetles and weevils)

Nueroptera

this order of insects has wings that look like nervous systems [Nerved winged ones] (includes the lacewings, mantidflies, antlions)

Hymenoptera

this order of insects are known as the membranous winged ones; includes wasps, sawflies, and ants

Trichoptera

this order of insects, known as caddisflies, have hairy wings with aquatic larva and terrestrial adults; their larva create houses / are net spinning

Lepidoptera

this order consists or butterflies and moths; these insects have scaley wings (the scaled winged ones)

Siphonaptera

this order of insects lack wings and are blood suckers; this order is all fleas, caterpillar like larva

Mecoptera

this order consists purely of scorpion flies

Strepitptera

this order of insects are endoparasites of other insects, such as bees, wasps, leafhoppers, silverfish, and cockroaches; their names mean “twisted wing parasites”

Diptera

this order of insects are known as the “true flies”; they have fully developed first set of wings, and club like hind wings used for balance

-ptera

suffix for wing

-aptera

suffix for no wings

-optera

suffix referring to those with wings

Siphon-

prefix for tube; refers to sucky bits on bugs

Hemi-

prefix meaning half; this refers to wings of insects that are hardened @ the base and membranous @ the tips

Lepido-

prefix meaning scale; used in reference to insects like moths and butterflies which have scaled wings.

Hymen-

prefix meaning membrane; related to insects like bees and wasps that have membranous wings.

Ortho-

prefix meaning straight; often used to describe insects with straight wings or body structures present in grasshoppers or crickets.

Coleo-

prefix meaning sheath; used in reference to insects such as beetles that have hardened forewings.

-idae

prefix in taxonomy; places insect into a family

-inae

prefix in taxonomy; places insect into a subfamily

-oidea

prefix in taxonomy; places insect into a superfamily

-ini

prefix in taxonomy; places insect into a tribe

forensics

pertaining to law

homology

structural, genetic, or developmental similarities between organisms that are derived from a common ancestor

Taxonomy

nouns that place organisms into specific categories

Nomenclature

Order of ranks within taxonomy (i.e. Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, etc.)

Classification

a hierarchical system for grouping living organisms based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships

Protura

Diplura

Collembola

Microcoryphia

Thysanura

Ephemeroptera

Odonata

Orthoptera

Phasmatodea

Grylloblattodea

Mantophasmatodea

Dermaptera

Plecoptera

Embiidina

Zoraptera

Isoptera

Mantodea

Blattodea

Hemiptera

Thysanoptera

Psocoptera

Phthiraptera

Coleoptera

Neuroptera

Hymenoptera

Trichoptera

Lepidoptera

Siphonaptera

Mecoptera

Strepsiptera

Diptera

Phylum Arthropoda

Subphylum Trilobita

Subphylum Chelicerata

Class Arachnida

Order Araneae

Order Acarina

Class Pycnogonida

Class Merostomata

Subphylum Myriapoda

Class Chilopoda

Class Diplopoda

Class Symphyla

Class Pauropoda

Clade Pancrustacea

Subphylum Crustacea

Subphylum Hexapoda

Class Entognatha

Class Insecta (Ectognatha)

Suborder Anisoptera

Family Gomphidae